


threading the needle, snipping the cord.

by Pomodoridori



Category: RWBY
Genre: M/M, Multi, arthur and hazel convice tyrian to take a depression bath. he needs it, i just wanted to write something soft and sweet!!!, marked as explicit because of discussion of masturbation/sex, they do not actually fuck... only cuddling...
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:13:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28344438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pomodoridori/pseuds/Pomodoridori
Summary: "Watts woke gently.  He was aware of the warmth first, the soft press of a belly against his back. An arm slung over his stomach.  Someone's legs tangled in his.  And a wetness on the back of his neck, humid and tacky..."aka, an excuse to write about arthur, tyrian, and hazel cuddling, and explore their team dynamics!extremely fluffy!
Relationships: Hazel Rainart/Arthur Watts, Tyrian Callows/Arthur Watts, Tyrian Callows/Hazel Rainart, Tyrian Callows/Hazel Rainart/Arthur Watts, its a polycule :)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	threading the needle, snipping the cord.

Watts woke gently. He was aware of the warmth first, the soft press of a belly against his back. An arm slung over his stomach. Someone's legs tangled in his. And a wetness on the back of his neck, humid and tacky. Watts scrunched his nose in disgust as he felt a hot puff of breath against the nape of his neck. _Hazel_ , Watts thought. _It smells like Hazel._ Arthur squirmed around to face him, struggling to disentangle his legs from the sheets and the heavy calf that was draped over his knees.

Hazel was awake by the time Arthur managed to wriggle around. He blinked at Watts reproachfully, and then brushed some of the hair out of his face with one swipe of his palm. Arthur sat up, crossed his arms, and frowned down at him.

"The last thing I remember was working on the joints for Tyrian's new tail. What am I doing in your quarters?"

Hazel grunted and rubbed at his eyes. "Y'fell asleep at your desk. S'bad for your back."

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "And you were in my laboratory because...?"

"Needed a refill on m'sleeping pills. Ran out yesterday."

Watts sighed. "Was Tyrian still asleep in his corner?"

"I would've brought 'im with me, but I didn't want to wake him up," Hazel said.

"I'm surprised you didn't wake _me_ up when you took me from the lab."

"Nah, y'woke up, but you were dead on your feet. Couldn't even walk straight. I ended up carryin' you because you walked facefirst into th'wall."

Watts flushed with embarrassment and slipped back down under the sheets, where it was still warm. He was still pretty sleepy. _I must've slept hard._ "Tyrian's had more trouble sleeping than usual. He's been.... distraught."

"You're worried about him," Hazel said. His voice was getting a little clearer now, less slurred with sleep.

Arthur paused, considering. "...Yes. I've never seen him this bad before."

"Mm," Hazel said, and slid his hand back over Watt's waist to pull him close. _Gods, his hand nearly spans my back_ , Arthur thought as he squished his face into Hazel's neck and squirmed backwards a couple inches.

He reached to fiddle with his jacket pocket, and found that Hazel had stripped him to his undershirt and pants.

"You better have folded my shirt and hung up my jacket, Hazel," Watts grumbled.

"I did. Behind you." Hazel carded his fingers through Watt's hair, and Arthur struggled not to lean into the touch.

Too lazy to turn and look, Watts poked Hazel in the belly. "Give me your scroll."

Hazel sighed and reached behind him. He fumbled for a minute, and then handed Watts his scroll. Technically, it was one of Arthur's old ones, as Hazel refused to buy his own. Hazel had taken good care of it-- probably a side-effect of the fact that Hazel barely remembered that it existed-- and although it was an old model, the scroll worked perfectly.

"Strike a pose," Watts said, before snapping a picture of them both tangled up in each other.

Hazel peered over Arthur's shoulder. "I'm blurry," he complained.

"Yes, well, I did give you a warning. And besides, _I_ look fantastic," Watts replied.

"You look like something that just crawled out of a dumpster."

"Hmph," Watts said, though to be fair to Hazel, he could definitely use a bath. His hair was a _mess._ Watts had the bad habit of putting off bathing when he became too invested in a project, and the latest... _well_. Watts'd always been interested in prosthetics. And the benefits of seeing Tyrian slowly come out of his shell again were an extra bonus. Watts'd found that he preferred it when Tyrian was happy.

Arthur sent the picture to the faunus, captioned: _got kidnapped,_ and handed Hazel his scroll back. Then, he turned over so he could snuggle into Hazel's chest better. _Honestly, it's unfair how good at cuddling he is_ , Watts thought. _Fucking bastard, with his soft fucking belly and strong fucking muscles. And his fat fucking tits._ Arthur closed his eyes, listening to the biorhythms of Hazel's body.

Hazel was warm, and it was making Arthur start to sink back into the stupor of sleep. He was halfway to pliant in Hazel's arms when there was a brief knock at the door to Hazel's rooms, and a click as it opened.

"Tyrian," Hazel grunted, and Watts cracked open an eye to look.

Tyrian was hunched in the doorframe looking miserable. His tail was dragging on the floor behind him. As he wandered further into the room, Watts caught a whiff of him, and he did his best to suppress a grimace. Hazel gave a quiet huff of disgust into the shell of Arthur's ear.

"You stole my doctor," Tyrian grumbled at Hazel.

"Yes. Was going to take you, too, but you were asleep."

"And I reek," Tyrian added mournfully.

"I was trying to be tactful, Tyrian."

Tyrian huffed and slumped forward towards the bed, tail flicking irritably. "Too tired to wash recently."

"I know, Tyrian." Hazel said. His tone was gentle.

"Don't get on the bed," Arthur added. "Hazel will have to change the sheets." Hazel pinched Arthur in the side, hard, and he yelped in shock and pain.

"I'm going to have to wash them anyway, _Arthur_."

Tyrian, meanwhile, had sunk to the floor. "S'fine, Hazel. I don't deserve--" he cut himself off with a harsh, angry sigh and curled further into a ball.

Watts elbowed Hazel in the gut in retaliation and sat up. "Tyrian. We've discussed--"

"And we're not going to _discuss_ it any more tonight, _Watts_ ," Tyrian hissed.

Arthur deflated. "Fine." _I won't press the matter... for now_.

They were quiet for a minute or two. Hazel kept running a hand up and down Watt's back, rubbing soothing circles at the knots of tension.

"...Hazel?" Arthur asked.

Hazel grunted at him.

"You still have that massive porcelain tub, don't you?"

"...Yes," Hazel replied, wary.

"Good. I'm going to have a bath. Tyrian, would you join me?"

Tyrian looked up from the floor, considering. Then, the edge of his mouth curled into a little smirk and he leaned back on one elbow. "Of course, doctor."

Watts stared him down. Tyrian was mostly obscured by the shadows, his eyes gleaming. He looked like a half wild thing, too dangerous by far, tail waving behind him, almost a threat.

Arthur smiled at him with too many teeth.  
\---

Watts filled the tub with water that was close to scalding. A bit warm for his tastes-- quite a bit warmer, actually-- but Tyrian preferred hot baths. The scorpion faunus was not good at regulating his internal body temperature, and large bodies of water often gave him problems. Including and especially baths.

"Tyrian," he called, "the water's drawn."

Arthur inspected Hazel's three-in-one body wash with mild disgust. It was the only product in the bathroom-- save for a small bar of soap on the vanity. _Gods, Hazel,_ he thought, _I am going to buy you some nice body scrubs. And actual shampoo and conditioner._

He set it aside on the lip of the tub and began to strip.

Tyrian slunk in, perched on the edge of a stool, and watched him.

Watts felt his face heating up and pretended it was from the steam that was rising from the tub. "Well, if you plan on getting in, you had better undress."

Tyrian gave him an absolutely insufferable smile, cocking his head to one side. "I'm just enjoying the view."

"Hmph." Arthur turned towards the tub so that Tyrian wouldn't see the blush deepen on his face.

Stepping into the water was like plunging his legs directly into a sauna, and Watts screwed up his face in discomfort.

"Eugh, Tyrian, I'm going to _melt_. How on earth do you tolerate water this hot." Gingerly, Arthur lowered himself into the water, trying to adjust, eyes screwed shut. "I feel like a fucking boiled lobster and it's only been ten seconds."

Distantly, he was aware of Tyrian giggling at him, and the sound of his clothes slithering to the floor. Then Hazel stuck his head through the door and handed Tyrian a bundle of cloth.

"Give me the old ones," he said, "I'm going to wash them. Wear these when you're done here."

Watts squinted at Hazel. "Don't wash them. _Burn_ them."

"If you burn my clothes I am going to kill you."

"I'm not going to burn your clothes," Hazel sighed, sounding slightly offended. "I know you only have a few." _Tired of our antics already, Hazel?_ Arthur thought. He smirked and opened his mouth to speak.

"He _could_ own more if he'd let me _buy him some_."

"I told you that I don't need more than what I have already," Tyrian snapped. There was real irritation in his voice now, and his tail arched defensively.

Watts felt about a dozen inflammatory comments on the tip of his tongue, but he bit them down. Pissing Tyrian off now would just be a waste. Arthur sighed and fumbled for Hazel's three-in-one. "Will you come here so I can wash your hair with Hazel's atrocious excuse for proper soap? I am going to pass out from overheating soon and I want to touch your hair before I go."

That pulled a snort of amusement from Tyrian. "Your last dying wish is to touch my hair?"

Watts pulled a face. "Are you implying that you would let me drown in a bathtub?"

Tyrian made that little pinched face he did when he was trying not to smile too wide. "Yes, Arthur."

"I hate you. Come here."

Tyrian laughed and fumbled with the end of his braid. He snapped off the band and let it fall to the floor. As he strolled towards the tub, Tyrian ran his hand through his hair, pulling apart the braid and catching his fingers in knots and tangles.

_Fuck_ , Arthur thought, _he's beautiful_. He cleared his throat and glanced away, fiddling with the lid of the soap. Then, there were fingers cupping his face and tilting it up. Tyrian was grinning down at him, and Watts found himself staring at the little scar at the corner of the faunus's mouth. How the tip of Tyrian's tongue would poke out to fiddle with the edge of the keloid tissue. Watts could feel the flush creeping back up his neck. _God, the heat of this water is making me stupid_ , Arthur thought.

Tyrian must've seen something in his face, because he began to laugh again. There was a splash, and Tyrian settled himself in the tub, still staring Arthur down. His hands dropped to Watts' shoulders and settled there.

Arthur huffed. "Tyrian."

"What?"

"Turn around."

"And stop looking at your pretty face? I think not."

"At least get your hair wet, then."

"With pleasure," Tyrian replied, and sunk further down into the water. His hands slowly slipped from Watt's shoulders, the nails scraping ever-so-slightly against Arthur's skin.

Arthur reached out, put a hand on Tyrian's own shoulder, and pushed down gently, to encourage him. Tyrian let out a sigh of contentment at the heat of the water, and Watts felt tension draining from the scorpion's muscles. Finally, he was chin-deep in the water. His hair spread out behind him in an inky black wave. Arthur had to stop the impulse to reach out and run his hands through it.

"Go ahead and dunk your head. I'm not waiting forever."

"So demanding," Tyrian said, and dunked his head anyway.

We he surfaced, Watts had a handful of the three-in-one soap ready.

"Here, while I soap your hair you can get the rest of you," he said as he passed the bottle to Tyrian.

Tyrian hummed and scooted around in the tub in a tangle of limbs so Arthur had better access to his hair. As Arthur massaged the soap into Tyrian's hair, the scorpion sighed and leaned into the touch.

"Enjoying yourself?" he asked.

"Yes," Tyrian replied, and leaned further into Watts' hands.

It didn't take long for Arthur to overheat.

"Tyrian," he said breathlessly, "I have to get out. I'm going to pass out if I'm in here any longer." He pushed himself to his feet abruptly, and nearly collapsed as all the blood rushed from his head.

"Arthur-- _ah._ Here." Tyrian used his tail to steady him. Watts clutched at it as his head cleared. He focused on blinking away all the dark dots and taking deep breaths.

"Doctor, you should know better," Tyrian said.

"Yes, yes, yes." Watts grumbled at him. "Thank you for the support."

Tyrian snorted at him. "I'll finish up here. Why don't you go lie down."

"Yes, that-- seems like a good idea." Watts stepped out of the tub on wobbly legs and wrapped himself in one of Hazel's towels. _Damn, this towel is big. I'm practically swimming in it..._

Tyrian leered at him the entire time he was toweling himself dry. By the time he finished, Watts was feeling less lightheaded, although he could see in the mirror that his face was still flushed red from the heat.

"Off to bed with you," Tyrian said, and Watts turned to flip him off with a smile. Tyrian laughed again, and Arthur made his way back to Hazel's bedroom.

Hazel had changed the sheets on the bed, and was sat at the edge of it reading under a heap of blankets.

"You look very handsome in your reading glasses," Watts said, teasing. "Like some kind of... oh, perhaps a refined businessman of some kind?"

Hazel looked up. He had a very tired expression on his face. "...Watts. Would you please put something on?"

Watts huffed. "You got Tyrian fresh clothes, but none for me...what was I supposed to do, put on my old ones?"

Hazel rolled his eyes, set down his book, and pulled off his tank top. Then he tossed it right at Arthur's head.

"Mm, still warm. And it smells like you." Watts pulled it over his head. "No bottoms, though?"

"Help yourself," Hazel gestured to the dresser in the corner of the room. "But I'm not getting up."

"Thank you, I guess." Arthur said, and rifled through the drawer full of sweatpants. Finally he found one that looked like it _might_ fit him. If he cinched the drawstrings as tightly as possible. 

"Do you want me to get you another top, since I stole yours?"

Hazel waved a dismissive hand. "No. I have my 'fat fucking tits' to keep me warm." Hazel's face was entirely neutral as he turned the page in his book.

Arthur choked on his spit. "Your-- what?!"

"You talk in your sleep, Arthur."

Watts felt himself going red. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Hazel shrugged. "I'm not going to argue the point, Arthur. Can't convince me you don't when I've heard you."

Arthur spent a moment staring at the floor in embarrassment. He could feel how warm the tips of his ears had gotten. "Fine," he muttered, and made his way to the bed, where he wasted no time in sidling up to Hazel to cuddle. Hazel wrapped an arm around Arthur's shoulders, and Watts sighed, contented. The residual heat of the bath was making his limbs feel heavy, and his eyelids were slowly inching towards shut. He could hear Tyrian in the bathroom, humming, and the splash of water. Hazel turning the pages of his book as the minutes ticked by. And then the gurgle of the tub as Tyrian let the bathwater out. There were a few minutes of silence-- broken only by the rasp of a page being turned-- and then Watts was rudely pulled from the edge of sleep by Tyrian.

"Watts nearly collapsed in the bath," Tyrian announced as he strolled in, stretching his arms. "I had to save him from falling facefirst into the side~"

Disgruntled, Arthur threw a pillow at him. "The only reason I got so lightheaded in the first place is because you like the water freakishly hot."

"Pfft, you've just got a weak constitution," Tyrian said, and clambered onto the bed. He climbed over Watts in order to get to Hazel. Arthur huffed and tolerated it, if only because Tyrian had managed to avoid actually stepping _on_ him.

Hazel sighed heavily and placed his book on the bedside table. "I'm not going to get much more reading done, am I?"

"Hm. No," Tyrian said, and plopped down directly on top of Hazel, who wheezed as the air was knocked out of him. His tail was waving excitedly, and Watts batted it out of his face irritably.

"Tyrian," Hazel grumbled, once he got his breath back. "get off."

"Yes, I'd like to," Tyrian said, and for the first time Watts noticed the flush on Tyrian's face, and how he was spreading his thighs.

Hazel sighed. "Not now. Later. I want some more sleep before I do anything strenuous. Besides, it's four in the morning."

Tyrian gave a whine and buried his face in the juncture of Hazel's shoulder and neck. "Fine."

Hazel patted his back. "Great. Now get _off_."

Tyrian gave another low, sad sound, and rolled off Hazel's belly, landing directly on top of Watts.

Arthur flailed and squeaked, and Tyrian laughed, and laughed, and laughed.

**Author's Note:**

> writing this made me so soft.....  
> hope you enjoyed!! please leave comments letting me know what you liked!!


End file.
